У цьому посібнику · 21 розділів
- What's changed in 2026
- Bars and nightlife
- Q Bar · 40 An Dương Vương, Ngũ Hành Sơn (An Thượng area)
- Living Colors · 78 Bà Triệu, Hội An
- Memory Lounge · 7 Bạch Đằng, Hải Châu
- Sauna and men's spas
- Pride and events
- Typhoon season: October to December
- Hội An: the day trip that becomes a night
- Where to stay
- Eat like a local
- A Da Nang day
- Practical tips
- A few words of Vietnamese
- At a glance
- Frequently asked questions
- Is there a gay scene in Da Nang?
- Is it legal to be gay in Vietnam?
- When is typhoon season in Da Nang?
- Is there Pride in Da Nang?
- How do I get from Da Nang to Hội An?
Da Nang runs on two clocks. The early one starts at dawn on My Khe beach, where swimmers, joggers and old men doing tai chi share the sand before the heat arrives, and plastic stools fill up around bowls of turmeric-yellow mì Quảng. The late one starts when the sun drops behind the Hàn River: beer poured over ice, grilled squid, a chorus of "Một, hai, ba, dzô!", and at 21:00 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday the Dragon Bridge breathes fire over the water. It's a fast-growing, easy-going beach city, and most travellers use it as a base for Hội An. The gay scene is small and friendly rather than wild: one queer bar, one small men's sauna, a cluster of men's massage spas, a second queer bar down the road in Hội An, and a calendar of pop-up drag nights and queer brunches. Come for the beach, the food and a margarita with whoever's in that night.
Legal in one line: sex between men is legal in Vietnam and has never been criminalised; since 2015 same-sex weddings are no longer banned but have no legal recognition; in 2022 the Ministry of Health told doctors that being gay is not an illness to be "treated"; and a gender affirmation bill was shelved in September 2024. Buying and selling sex is illegal, and under Decree 282/2025, in force since 15 December 2025, buying sex carries a fine of 1–2 million VND.
What's changed in 2026
- Q Bar in An Thượng is still open and remains the city's one queer bar, with Thursday Lady's Night and occasional drag.
- Hội An is now part of Da Nang. Quảng Nam province merged into Da Nang city in 2025, so Hội An's Living Colors bar is, on paper, a Da Nang venue.
- Two more men's spas have appeared on gay listings, VUI Spa and Relax Spa for Men; we couldn't confirm either independently (see below).
- Queer brunch with drag is now a fixture of the pop-up calendar: TAP TAP is listed for 19 November 2026.
- Gentlemen Sauna, 27 Tạ Mỹ Duật, An Hải: the closest thing to a gay sauna, small and basic, with a steam room. Listed hours run from about 15:00 or 17:00 to 21:30–22:00, entry about 100,000–150,000 VND, busiest from around 18:00. Go before dinner, not after.
- NOM Spa for Men, 48 An Thượng 20, Ngũ Hành Sơn: the most reviewed men's massage spa, open late. Massage only; no reviewer we found mentions a sauna.
- Hero Massage Spa, 147 Tô Hiến Thành, Phước Mỹ: small, LGBT-oriented, cash only; book ahead.
- Naomi Spa for Men, An Hải: linked to Gentlemen Sauna, with hours of 11:00–23:30 on its website; confirm the address when you book.
- Newer listings, unconfirmed: VUI Spa (83D Phan Thúc Duyện, Ngũ Hành Sơn) is listed with steam and 24-hour opening, but its latest reviews we could find were months old; Relax Spa for Men in An Thượng and Enjoy Spa for Men (61 Phạm Tu, An Hải) also lack independent reports. Message them before you go.
- TAP TAP: A Queer Brunch Experience is listed on Eventbrite for Thursday 19 November 2026, 11:30–16:00, at Piano Piano, 67 Hoàng Văn Thụ. The ticket (listed at 527,000 VND) covers a chef-led Viet-fusion buffet with vegetarian and vegan options, drag performances, games and a DJ; drinks are extra, seating is limited to about 25–30, and there are no tickets at the door. The listing is 18+ and shows some conflicting dates, so confirm before you book.
- Earlier pop-ups have included Glitter & Grits, a sold-out queer brunch and drag show in An Thượng, and a drag cabaret by Honey Gluttony at the Radisson RED rooftop in July 2025.
- 2025 was severe. From mid-October to early November 2025, Tropical Storm Fengshen and later storms, combined with cold air, brought record rain to central Vietnam: the Bạch Mã station, in the mountains between Huế and Da Nang, measured a national record of 1,739.6 mm in 24 hours on 26–27 October, and some Da Nang river stations recorded historic flood peaks.
- 2026 so far: forecasters warned of 200–400 mm of rain, locally over 600 mm, for Huế and Da Nang on 7–8 October, caused by cold air rather than a typhoon. On 20 October, Super Typhoon Champi was heading towards Taiwan, and Vietnam's weather service said it was unlikely to enter the East Sea. The national forecast for October–December 2026 is for below-average storm activity, but one storm or depression could still affect the city.
- An Thượng and My Khe beach (Ngũ Hành Sơn): the easiest base, within walking distance of Q Bar, NOM and the beach, full of small hotels and cafés. Bonny Boutique Hotel, at 01–03 Khuê Mỹ Đông 10, is a small hotel just south of An Thượng with pool-view rooms.
- Hải Châu, the city centre: close to the river, the Dragon Bridge and Cồn Market. Sujet Hotel Da Nang, at 03 Nguyễn Trường Tộ, is a small 16-room hotel on four floors (no lift), near the Cham Sculpture Museum.
- See all gay-friendly hotels in Da Nang.
- Mì Quảng: the region's signature noodles, flat rice noodles tinted with turmeric, served with only a ladle of rich broth, pork, shrimp, peanuts, herbs and a shard of crisp sesame rice cracker to crumble on top. A breakfast and lunch dish; look for plastic stools and a queue.
- Bánh xèo: the central-Vietnamese version is small and crisp, cooked in little pans, then wrapped in rice paper with lettuce and herbs and dipped in a thick peanut sauce. Often served with nem lụi, lemongrass pork skewers.
- Also try bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo (pork and herbs rolled in rice paper), bún chả cá (fish-cake noodle soup), seafood at the beach restaurants where you pick from the tank, and cà phê sữa đá, iced coffee with condensed milk.
- Grab (car or motorbike) is the easy way around, day and night, and cheap by Western standards. Show the driver the address in Vietnamese. The airport is close to the centre.
- Don't drink and ride. Vietnam's road traffic law, in force since 1 January 2025, bans driving any vehicle, including a rented motorbike, with any alcohol in your blood or breath.
- Cash: carry đồng in small notes. Many small places and spas are cash only.
- Apps: Grindr and other apps work. Meet in a public place first, and be wary of anyone who quickly asks for money.
- Never pay for sex, and stay away from drugs. Police do raid massage venues, and Vietnam's drug laws are among the harshest in the world.
- Carry your passport or a clear copy; police may ask foreigners for ID.
- Health: if a condom breaks, PEP must start within 72 hours; go to a large hospital or an international clinic straight away.
- Discretion: Da Nang is tolerant but traditional. Keep public affection low-key and anything more for private spaces.
- Xin chào – hello. Cảm ơn – thank you.
- Không, cảm ơn – no, thank you.
- Bao nhiêu tiền? – how much is it? Tính tiền – the bill, please.
- Một, hai, ba, dzô! – one, two, three, cheers!
- Đồng tính – gay (literally "same sex"); LGBT and gay are also widely used as they are.
- Mì Quảng – turmeric rice noodles. Bánh xèo – crisp rice pancake.
- Không cay – not spicy.
- Bão – storm, typhoon. Lũ – flood. Mưa – rain.
- Cầu Rồng – the Dragon Bridge. Biển – sea, beach.
Bars and nightlife
Q Bar · 40 An Dương Vương, Ngũ Hành Sơn (An Thượng area)
A small queer bar a few blocks back from My Khe beach, on the edge of An Thượng, the grid of numbered lanes where travellers, expats and Da Nang's more liberal crowd spend their evenings. It's run by a couple, Zac and Ben, and a local magazine called it Da Nang's first queer bar when it opened in late 2023. It feels more like a living room than a club: quiet enough to talk on weeknights, busier late on Fridays and Saturdays. Thursday is Lady's Night, aimed at queer women; drag nights and meet-ups happen on no fixed schedule, and fewer in the low season. A May 2026 review put a beer at 30,000 VND. Listed hours vary (roughly 19:30 or 20:00 to about 01:00, later at weekends, and one listing shows it closed on Sundays), so check @qbardanang before you go.
Living Colors · 78 Bà Triệu, Hội An
The region's other queer bar, on the edge of Hội An's Ancient Town, about 45 minutes from Da Nang by Grab. It hosts drag shows, drag bingo, karaoke and trivia, mostly at weekends, and reviewers say Saturdays get packed. Check @livingcolors.hoian for the week's events.
Memory Lounge · 7 Bạch Đằng, Hải Châu
A large, mainstream riverside restaurant and lounge in a leaf-shaped glass building, with live singers and a view of the bridges. Pleasant for a sundowner before the Dragon Bridge show, but don't expect a queer crowd.
For hours, drinks and the full picture, see our Da Nang gay bars guide.
Sauna and men's spas
There is no large bathhouse of the kind you'll find in Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City. Most places listed online as "gay saunas" in Da Nang are men's massage spas: you pay staff for a massage in a private room, often with no steam room at all. Agree the full price, including the tip, at reception before you go in.
Our Da Nang saunas guide covers each one in detail, along with the police raids on men's spas elsewhere in Vietnam and how to stay out of trouble.
Closed: Sauna For Men, long described as Da Nang's gay sauna, is marked closed by Travel Gay, and we found no sign of it operating under either of its listed addresses (Khuê Mỹ Đông 15 or 379 Hải Phòng). Mellow n Joy, the An Thượng café-bar that ran Rainbow Nights, closed on 23 September 2023.
Pride and events
Da Nang has no Pride parade. A local group, Proud, held its seventh Đà Nẵng Pride gala in August 2019, with talks, drag and performances; we couldn't find a confirmed edition since. Vietnam's Pride movement began with VietPride in Hanoi in 2012, and in 2026 Hanoi Pride Month was planned for September, as in recent years. For a big Pride, plan around Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
In Da Nang itself, queer life happens at pop-ups, announced on Facebook, Instagram and Eventbrite a few weeks ahead:
Ask at Q Bar what's coming up; it's the best noticeboard in town.
Typhoon season: October to December
Central Vietnam's rainy season runs roughly from September to December, and storms, floods and landslides are most likely in October and November. Low-lying streets can flood, mountain roads can close after landslides, and the riverside streets of Hội An's Ancient Town flood in many autumns.
If a storm is coming: follow the Báo Đà Nẵng news site and your hotel's advice, stock up on water and phone power, stay off the beach and away from rivers, and don't ride a motorbike in heavy rain. Keep a spare day either side of flights, and check whether your travel insurance covers weather delays. Between storms, autumn days can be bright and quiet, with fewer crowds.
Hội An: the day trip that becomes a night
Hội An, the lantern-lit old trading town about 30 kilometres south, is the reason many people come to Da Nang at all. Its yellow merchant houses, tailors and river boats get crowded by day; go in the late afternoon, when the lanterns come on, and stay for dinner and Living Colors' drag show. Grab takes about 45 minutes. Rides back thin out sharply after midnight, so book your return before about 23:30, agree a pick-up time with a driver, or spend the night.
Where to stay
Vietnamese hotels register guests with the police, so a visitor may be asked to leave ID at reception. Ask about the guest policy when you check in.
Eat like a local
Da Nang eats early and well. Two dishes to hunt down:
Two easy sit-down options: Cô Ba Phở Bò, at 154 Bạch Đằng on the riverfront, a busy phở restaurant (a bowl was 89,000–109,000 VND on its 2026 menu; listed hours vary, so check); and Hùng 68, at 110 Trường Sa, Hoà Hải, Ngũ Hành Sơn, a small family-run place for phở, noodles and bánh mì, listed open 06:30–21:30 (reviewers warn that its map pin has been wrong). More on our Da Nang restaurants list.
A Da Nang day
Swim at My Khe before 08:00, then mì Quảng and an iced coffee. Spend the heat of the day at the Marble Mountains or in the Museum of Cham Sculpture, or take a Grab up the Sơn Trà peninsula. Back to the beach in the late afternoon. On Friday, Saturday or Sunday, be on the riverfront by 21:00 for the Dragon Bridge show (fire, then water, about 15 minutes; the head-on view is from Trần Hưng Đạo on the Sơn Trà side). Then Grab to An Thượng for a drink at Q Bar.
Practical tips
A few words of Vietnamese
At a glance
| Place | Type | Address | When | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q Bar | Queer bar | 40 An Dương Vương, Ngũ Hành Sơn | Evenings to ~01:00, later Fri–Sat | Thursday Lady's Night; occasional drag |
| Living Colors | LGBTQ+ bar (Hội An) | 78 Bà Triệu, Hội An | Evenings; busiest Sat | Drag, bingo, karaoke |
| Gentlemen Sauna | Small men's sauna | 27 Tạ Mỹ Duật, An Hải | Afternoon to ~22:00 | ~100,000–150,000 VND |
| NOM Spa for Men | Men's massage spa | 48 An Thượng 20, Ngũ Hành Sơn | Late; check | Massage only |
| Hero Massage Spa | Men's massage spa | 147 Tô Hiến Thành, Phước Mỹ | Book ahead | Cash only |
| Naomi Spa for Men | Men's massage spa | An Hải (confirm) | 11:00–23:30 | Linked to Gentlemen Sauna |
| TAP TAP at Piano Piano | Queer brunch with drag | 67 Hoàng Văn Thụ | Thu 19 Nov 2026, 11:30–16:00 | Tickets on Eventbrite only |
| Bonny Boutique Hotel | Hotel | 01–03 Khuê Mỹ Đông 10, Ngũ Hành Sơn | – | Near the beach |
| Sujet Hotel Da Nang | Hotel | 03 Nguyễn Trường Tộ, Hải Châu | – | 16 rooms, no lift |
| Cô Ba Phở Bò | Phở restaurant | 154 Bạch Đằng, Hải Châu | Lunch and dinner; check | Riverfront |
| Hùng 68 | Family-run restaurant | 110 Trường Sa, Hoà Hải | 06:30–21:30 | Phở, noodles, bánh mì |
Frequently asked questions
Is there a gay scene in Da Nang?
A small one. Da Nang has one queer bar, Q Bar in the An Thượng area near My Khe beach, one small men's sauna and a handful of men's massage spas. A second queer bar, Living Colors, is in Hội An, and the rest of the scene runs on pop-up drag nights and queer brunches.
Is it legal to be gay in Vietnam?
Yes. Same-sex relations have never been criminalised in Vietnam. Since 2015 same-sex weddings are no longer banned, but they have no legal recognition, and there is still no law on gender affirmation after a bill was shelved in 2024.
When is typhoon season in Da Nang?
Roughly September to December, with the heaviest rain and flooding usually in October and November. In autumn 2025 storms and record rain flooded much of central Vietnam. Keep your plans flexible in these months and follow local weather warnings.
Is there Pride in Da Nang?
There is no Pride parade. A local group held a Đà Nẵng Pride gala for the seventh time in 2019, and today the city has pop-up events instead, such as the TAP TAP queer brunch with drag, listed for 19 November 2026. For a large Pride, look to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
How do I get from Da Nang to Hội An?
The easiest way is by Grab, which takes about 45 minutes. Rides back to Da Nang get hard to find after midnight, so book your return early, agree a pick-up time with a driver, or stay the night in Hội An.
Part of the GayOut city guides. See also our Da Nang bars and Da Nang saunas guides, and the Ho Chi Minh City saunas guide.
